Arizona State University has been quietly setting the stage to develop nearly 100 acres of land it owns in Tempe, most of it prime commercial real estate on the edge of the campus and near Tempe Town Lake.

The Shops at Copper Basin, with more than 40,000 square feet of retail space along Hunt Highway, is nearly complete and will bring with it some of the first close-by shopping and dining opportunities for San Tan area residents.

One of north Scottsdale’s most luxurious neighborhoods is getting its first place to do commerce.

One of north Scottsdale’s most luxurious neighborhoods is getting its first place to do commerce.

The Valley has the most retail square footage under construction of any city in the United States, according to a mid-year report.

Vestar Development Co. is moving forward on a 900,000-square-foot retail development at Farrell Road and Route 347 in Maricopa.

A group of Chandler’s downtown business owners plan to ask the city this month to tax them some more.

A group of Chandler’s downtown business owners plan to ask the city this month to tax them some more.

Gilbert may be the nation’s fastest-growing municipality, but its retail sales tax collections are lagging behind.

WASHINGTON - Shoppers got back in the buying mood in July, propelling sales at the nation's retailers up by 1.4 percent, the most in six months.

WASHINGTON - Shoppers got back in the buying mood in July, propelling sales at the nation’s retailers up by 1.4 percent, the most in six months. The snapback reported Friday by the Commerce Department came after shoppers hunkered down in June, depressing retail sales by 0.4 percent, according to revised figures.

WASHINGTON - Consumers battered by a multitude of economic woes came roaring back in November, pushing retail sales up by the largest amount in four months.

March 21, 2005

Arizona State University will take a major step this week toward becoming what ASU President Michael Crow calls the new American university when Tempe is expected to debate new zoning to allow hotels, supermarkets, shops, restaurants and other businesses on ASU land.

DALLAS - As long as a market is expanding, retailers talk about the other guy in a sportsmanlike manner, saying, ‘‘Competition is good’’ and "There’s room for everybody to grow."

Erica Everts of Scottsdale sailed through Target, stocking up on Kleenex, pencils, dry-erase markers, audio tapes and hand sanitizer, crossing each off the list of required items for second-grade students at Desert Canyon School.

NEW YORK - Is the Y chromosome evolving? Are guys really starting to care more about things like where to bargain-hunt for clothes, and what’s the best skin cream?

Along comes a proposal for a nice big store with reasonably priced goods that consumers want and need, to be located on a major East Valley intersection where small businesses are sure to spring up around it, and employing hundreds of people who are looking for steady employment, and guess what happens. People start sniping at it.

August 26, 2004

Just over two years ago, I began my first Retail Corridor column with the oft-cited quote by the famous Chinese Taoist philosopher, Lao-Tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Check out Chico’s March catalog.

Work is accelerating a Spanish Colonial-style shopping center catering to a heavily Hispanic area of Mesa. Mesa Ranch Plaza, a center on 18 acres of land at the northwest corner of Southern Avenue and Stapley Drive, will open early next year.